UGS 303 "Wacky Comedy"

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1 S P R I N G UGS 303 "Wacky Comedy" UNIQUE # 62300, 62305, LECTURE: MW 12-1 BUR 220 SECTIONS: 62300: F 9-10 MAI 220E / 62305: F MAI 220E / 62310: F MAI 220E PROF: MICHAEL HARNEY [Dept. of Spanish & Portuguese / Comp Lit Program] BEN / / mpharney@xanteum.net / OFFICE HRS: MWF 1-2 DESCRIPTION A course about works of literature and other media, including movies, TV shows, comic books, and graphic novels, that are generally classed as wacky, insane, farcical, vulgar, irreverent, or just plain silly. The first part of the course will focus on defining what is not funny, i.e., what is considered serious and dramatic, as opposed to comedic and frivolous. We will therefore begin by reading selections from Aristotle's Poetics, in which he provided western Civilization with a touchstone account of what constitutes dramatic tragedy. Aristotle also wrote a treatise on comedy, which was lost, so we can't be sure what he might have said about how comedy works. This course aims at a collaboration of the instructor and the students in coming up with a theory of comedy of our own, applicable to our culture and our civilization. We will concentrate on what has been called "low comedy" (as opposed to what some call "sophisticated comedy") because that's the kind that pushes the envelope, possibly offending critics and more serious-minded readers and audiences, and often falling beneath the radar of sober aesthetic consideration. The other great critical work we will read is Mikhail Bahktin, whose theory of carnival and the carnivalesque provides a model for understanding the importance of comedy, especially the lowest and most slap-sticky, in the formation and continuity of popular culture. While the course involves watching or otherwise consuming or referring to a number of works or selections from the vast, multi-media comedic array available to us, we will also devote close attention to certain important literary authors. These will include Rabelais and Cervantes. GRADING SYSTEM TESTS. 4 QUIZZES (10%; ID's, definitions, brief explanatory essays); 1 MID-TERM with take-home essay component (20%; REQUIRES BLUE BOOKS for IN-CLASS PORTION); 1 FINAL EXAM with essay component (25%; BLUE BOOKS required). MID-TERM and FINAL include ID's & terminological definitions involving brief essays; word essays answering substantial thematic questions. PAPERS. 1 3-PAGE RESEARCH PAPER PROSPECTUS (5%); 1 10-PAGE FINAL RESEARCH PAPER (20%). 2 ORAL PRESENTATIONS (10%; 1 individual presentation on final paper project (2 minutes); 1 team report on general topic to be determined (3 minutes), with Q&A and commentary by instructor and peers ATTENDANCE /PARTICIPATION: 5%. Attendance is taken at each class session, both lecture and study sections, at the end of the first 15 minutes of class. Students are expected to participate actively in discussion sections. Three unexcused absences are allowed. Each additional unexcused absence will result in a 1% deduction from the final course grade average, up to 5%.

2 SYLLABUS / CALENDAR / UGS 303 / "Wacky Comedy" / Spring NOTE 1: The prospectus explains the concept and previews the bibliography and analytical structure of the final research project. NOTE 2: "Excellent" writing requires 2 essential things: 1. error-free style and grammar; 2. a well-defined and articulately defended thesis (i.e., the essay must prove a point). Mere BOOK REPORTS do NOT constitute excellent writing. NOTE 3: For purposes of this course, a PAGE of student writing is equal to approximately 250 words. NOTE 4: the final paper must make substantial reference to Bakhtin's The World of Rabelais, and at AT LEAST ONE (1) of the other REQUIRED TEXTS from the course reading list. Aside from this minimum requirement, papers may refer to any other relevant works, in any media or format. REQUIRED TEXTS Aristotle, Poetics Mikhail Bakhtin, The World of Rabelais Miguel de Cervantes, selections from Don Quijote François Rabelais, selections from Gargantua and Pantagruel ACADEMIC / LEARNING GOALS. Students will acquire extensive practice in reading, analyzing, and discussing literary texts and works from various media from a historical perspective; will be exposed to various thematic approaches to the globalized popular culture of the present day, and of past centuries in various national traditions; will write English prose while recognizing, defining, & employing rhetorical, grammatical, cultural, and historical terms; will construct and defend a thesis in an extended written format, and responding to editorial commentary; will acquire practice in oral discussion and presentation. Performance to be assessed through evaluation and commentary on quizzes, exams, essays, oral presentations, and in-class participation. DISABILITY ACCOMODATIONS. Any student with a documented disability who requires academic accommodations should contact Services for Students with Disabilities at (voice) or (Video Phone) as soon as possible to request an official letter outlining authorized accommodations. TESTS, DEADLINES, & IMPORTANT DATES JAN 18 MON JAN 20 WED FEB 5 FRI MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. HOLIDAY OBSERVED FIRST DAY OF CLASS: SYLLABUS; POLICIES QUIZ I (taken in discussion section)

3 SYLLABUS / CALENDAR / UGS 303 / "Wacky Comedy" / Spring MAR 4 FRI MAR 9 WED QUIZ II (taken in discussion section) MID-TERM EXAM [taken in main lecture; BLUE BOOK REQUIRED for in-class segment] MAR SPRING BREAK MAR 23 WED APR 1 FRI APR 8 FRI APR APR 22 FRI APR APR 29 FRI MAY 2-4 MAY 4 WED MAY 6 FRI MAY 16 MON MID-TERM TAKE-HOME ESSAYS DUE (by midnight; online submission) 3-PAGE PROSPECTUS of TERM PAPER (by midnight; on-line submission) QUIZ III (taken in discussion sections) ORAL PRESENTATIONS (individual) QUIZ IV (taken in discussion sections) ORAL PRESENTATIONS (individual) FINAL TERM PAPER (by midnight; on-line submission) ORAL PRESENTATIONS (teams) LAST CLASS DAY (LECTURE) LAST CLASS DAY (DISCUSSION SECTIONS) FINAL EXAMINATION 2:00-5:00 pm [BLUE BOOKS REQUIRED]

4 SYLLABUS / CALENDAR / UGS 303 / "Wacky Comedy" / Spring SYLLABUS / CALENDAR READING ASSIGNMENTS, LECTURE TOPICS, EXAM DATES, PAPER DEADLINES JAN 18 MON MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY JAN 20 WED FIRST DAY OF CLASS. INTRODUCTION. IMPORTANT DATES. SYLLABUS. GRADING & ATTENDANCE POLICIES. Writing academic essays. Thesis / anomaly; outline of expository essay. Correction symbols & abbreviations. JAN 25 MON TOPICS: COMEDY & TRAGEDY; FARCE & MELODRAMA: WACKY, SILLY, RIDICULOUS, ABSURD, STUPID. READING ASSIGNMENT: Aristotle, Poetics, pp. 2-4 (Sections I & II) JAN 27 WED TOPICS: PARODY, LAMPOON, SPOOF, CHARADE. READING ASSIGNMENT: Bakhtin, pp FEB 1 MON TOPICS: CARNIVAL & CARNIVALESQUE; SATURNALIA; TOPSY-TURVY, MOTLEY. READING ASSIGNMENT: Bakhtin, pp FEB 3 WED TOPICS: LAUGHTER, MIRTH, GLEE; MIME & PANTOMIME. READING ASSIGNMENT: Bakhtin, pp FEB 5 FRI QUIZ I (taken in discussion sections) FEB 8 MON TOPICS: GROTESQUE vs BURLESQUE; TRAVESTY & DRESSING in DRAG; READING ASSIGNMENT: Rabelais, pp ("Author's prologue") FEB 10 WED TOPICS: SATIRE, SARCASM, IRONY, RIDICULE. READING ASSIGNMENT: Bakhtin, pp FEB 15 MON TOPICS: COMMEDIA DEL ARTE, HARLEQUINADE, VAUDEVILLE,

5 SYLLABUS / CALENDAR / UGS 303 / "Wacky Comedy" / Spring BUFFOONERY, PUNCH and JUDY. READING ASSIGNMENT: Bakhtin, pp FEB 17 WED TOPICS: SCREWBALL COMEDY; SOCIAL ECCENTRICITY; NORMALCY vs ABNORMALITY; OBSCENITY, VULGARITY, & RIBALDRY. READING ASSIGNMENT: Bakhtin, pp FEB 22 MON TOPICS: PIETY & POLITICAL RECTITUDE vs IRREVERENCE. BLASPHEMY, DESECRATION. READING ASSIGNMENT: Bakhtin, FEB 24 WED TOPICS: SANCTIMONY & PHARASAISM vs PROFANATION & SACRILEGE. READING ASSIGNMENT: Bakhtin, FEB 29 MON TOPICS: MIMICRY, IMPERSONATION, & CARICATURE. READING ASSIGNMENT: Bakhtin, MAR 2 WED TOPICS: BANTER, PERSIFLAGE, RAILLERY, BADINAGE. READING ASSIGNMENT: Bakhtin, MAR 4 FRI QUIZ II (taken in discussion sections) MAR 7 MON REVIEW MAR 9 WED MID-TERM EXAM (taken in lecture session) [BLUE BOOKS REQUIRED for in-class segment] MAR MONDAY-SATURDAY SPRING BREAK MAR 21 MON TOPICS: SOCIAL CLASS, STATUS, ROLE. READING ASSIGNMENT: Bakhtin,

6 SYLLABUS / CALENDAR / UGS 303 / "Wacky Comedy" / Spring MAR 23 WED TOPICS: ESTATES, CASTES, & SOCIAL STRATIFICATION. READING ASSIGNMENT: Rabelais, (Chapter 1.V, "The Discourse of the Drinkers"); MID- TERM TAKE-HOME ESSAYS DUE (on-line submission) MAR 28 MON TOPICS: FEUDALISM vs CAPITALISM; OLIGARCHY vs DEMOCRACY. READING ASSIGNMENT: Bakhtin, MAR 30 WED TOPICS: SOCIAL ELITES vs COMMONERS. READING ASSIGNMENT: Rabelais, (Chapter 1.VII, "After what manner Gargantua had his name given him;" Chapter 1.VIII, "How they apparelled Gargantua") APR 4 MON TOPICS: POPULAR vs ELITE CULTURE. READING ASSIGNMENT: Bakhtin, APR 6 WED TOPICS: PURITY vs IMPURITY; AESTHETIC CORRELATIVES; HIGH & LOW LITERARY & ARTISTIC GENRES. READING ASSIGNMENT: Bakhtin, APR 8 FRI QUIZ III (taken in discussion sections) APR 11 MON TOPICS: CHIVALRY vs the PICARESQUE; QUIXOTICISM. READING ASSIGNMENT: Don Quijote, PART I, (CHAPTER XI, "Of what befell Don Quixote with certain goatherds"); PART I, (CHAPTER XXXV, "Which treats of the heroic and prodigious battle Don Quixote had with certain skins of red wine") APR 13 WED TOPICS: COMIC vs ROMANTIC QUIXOTICISM. READING ASSIGNMENT: Don Quijote, PART II, (CHAPTER XLV, "Of how the great Sancho Panza took possession of his island, and of how he made a beginning in governing") APR 18 MON APR 20 WED APR 22 FRI QUIZ IV (taken in discussion sections)

7 SYLLABUS / CALENDAR / UGS 303 / "Wacky Comedy" / Spring APR 25 MON APR 27 WED MAY 2 MON ORAL PRESENTATIONS (TEAMS) MAY 4 WED ORAL PRESENTATIONS (TEAMS) LAST CLASS DAY [lecture section] MAY 6 FRI REVIEW LAST CLASS DAY [discussion sections] MAY 16 MON FINAL EXAM, 2:00-5:00 pm [BLUE BOOKS REQUIRED]

JEFFERSON COLLEGE COURSE SYLLABUS ENG215 WORLD LITERATURE BEFORE Credit Hours. Presented by: Trish Loomis

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